In a traditional color printer for plastic cards, a ribbon having three different color segments is passed by a single print head and the card is moved back and forth into position relative to the print head to allow each color to be printed. A problem with this type of printer is the relatively low throughput caused by the numerous back and forth movements of the card. Further, the numerous back and forth movements results in a printing process that is not smooth. In addition, a printer of this type cannot print to the edge of the card.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,328 to Nardone et al discloses a compact color printer that utilizes three non-driven platen rollers arranged in an arc, with three color print heads disposed around the rollers to print onto a receptor media. Output drive rollers are used to pull the receptor media through the printer, with the printed receptor media being output through an output slot in the printer. The receptor media is output from the printer in its final form and is not applied to a card to transfer the printed image onto the card.